Combined bumper and shock absorber



Mar. 3, 1925- Filed Feb. 12, 1924 Paie-.aa Mu. 3, 4192s.

j UNITED STATES TRANI K. ROGERS, F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

COMBINED BUMPB AND SHOCK ABSORBEB.

Application illed February 12, 1924. Serial No. 692,263.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK K. Rooms, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the -county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inCombined Bumpers and Shock Absorbers,` of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to combined bumper and shock absorbe-rs forvehicles.

The general objectof the invention is to provide a bumper and shockabsorber wherein the parts are so related that .under a light impactcertain resilient members will function and whereinunder increasedpressure other resilient members will function.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bumper including asupporting bar having means mounted thereon forrattach- -ment to anautomobile and wherein the attaching member includes a resilient springwhich serves to `hold the bumper upon the sup orting bar and also servesto cushion the umper.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bumper with novelmeans for attaching it to an automobile.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved automobilebumper includin a supporting bar having a resilient attaching memberthereon together with a 4resilient bent metal bumper bar Secured to theresilient attaching member and wherein the resilient bumper bar and theresilient attaching member coact in operation to Y cushion impact.

the

An additional object of the invention is to provide an automobile bumpertogether with supporting and attaching Ameans wherein uinper bar itself,the supporting means and the attaching means all include resilientportions which serve to cushion the impact.

Other objects of the invention will be aparent from the followingdescription taken in connection vwith the accompanying drawing whereinFig. 1 is a top plan view of a portion of an automobile showino myimproved bumper-applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of thebumper; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the bumper showing thedetails of the fastening means;

`Fig. 4 is a section taken 'on line`4-4, Fig.

3,` and. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation showing a modified means forattaching my bumper.

The present invention is animprovement on my 1`prior Patent Number1,456,281, patented ay 22, 1923.` v

Referring to the drawing by reference characters I have shown the bumperat 10. The bumper comprises a bumper' bar 11, a supportingbar 12 andattaching members 14. The bumper bar comprises a flexible strip 15preferably made of metal having reversely bent end portions 16 andhaving the free ends 17 secured adjacent thesupporting bar 12.

Adjacent the front of the bumper bar 15 I show a pair of sinuously'curved bals 18 which are secured to the bumper bar. The bars 18 providea pair of adjacent substantially elliptical portions 19 as shown in Fig.2. `The end portions of the bars 18 are secured beneath a clampingmember` 20 as v shown in Fig. 4. The clampingmember also surrounds thebumper bar 15 and is provided with two projections 21 which are adaptedto receive a bolt therethrough. The bolt serves to connect the clamp 20to a supporting rod 25 in such a `manner that the rod 25 has a slight,pivotal movement. By referring to Fig. 1' it will be noted that Iprovide three of the clamps 20 although more or less may be usedl ifdesired. The supporting rods 25 are provided with a bushing 26 whichtits within a pair of fastening members 27 and 28.

The supporting member 12 as shown in the drawings is an angle iron andthe members 27 and 28 may be secured to the angle iron by means ofsuitable fastening members such as bolts or screws which may passthrough' the fastening members'- 27 and 28 and through the angle iron12. The rod 25 and the sleeve 26 may be secured together by means of apin 30.

In order to resiliently inaintain the su porting bar' 12 in serviceposition I provi e on the automobile frame 31 in Fig. 4 a bracket 32which may be secured in any desired manner. This bracket is providedwith a shaft 33 thereon which has secured thereon a collar member 34having a tubular rojection 35 thereon. The joint provided y the parts33, 34 and 35 is similar tothe joint provided in my prior patent,previously mentioned.

The tubular projection 35 is shown as havionsl ing"V a tubular member 37fitted thereover.

The members 35 and 37 may be secured together by means of a suitablefastening ate its length.` One end of each clamping member 50'isprovided with an inclined face 54 while the other end of each clampingmember is provided with a shoulder 56- which engages the angle bar 12and firmly holds it in position.

The inclined faces 54 of the clamping members 50 may be spread apart inany desired manner but I now prefer to provide a wedge shaped member 60which is provided with a tubular protuberance 61. A suitable Aspring 62is shown `as fitted over the 'protuberance 61 and this spring normallyforces the wedge shaped mem er 60 against the inclined surfaces 54.

The shaft 25 of the collar 26 is also adapted to have a spring 7 Oarranged thereon.

Y From the foregoin description it will be apparent that when t e bumper10 is struck t e bumper bar 15 will be 'flexed At the same time thesprings will 4be flexed and upon increased pressure the springs 62 willflex. It will thus-be seen that my bumper is in effect a combined bumperand shock absorber and a compound spring ei'ect is produced. y

In some instances the attachment shown at 31 and 32 in Fig. 4 may not besuitable for mounting my bumper on an automobile and in such acase I mayuse other fastening means one of which is shown at 8O in Fig. 5. Thismounting may comprise a metal stamping or casting which ma be secured toa portion of an automobile means of fastening members suchas hookolts81.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

- 1. In combination with an automobile bum er, a supporting member, anattaching mem r for securin the supporting member on an automobi e, saidattaching member comprising two arms swin ingly mounted and adapted tomove to et er to engage the supporting member an means to urge said armstogether.

2. In an automobile bumper, in combination, a resilient bumper bar and asupporting member for the resilient bar, `a pair of reverselycurvedsinuous bars, means to secure said curved bars to the bum er bar, saidmeans comprising a U-shap clamp surrounding all of the bars said clamp.in-

cluding two spaced arms, said supporting member having a part thereofarranged between said arms. l l

3. In an automobile bumper, a bumper bar and a supporting bar, meanstoconnect said bumper ar to said sup orting bar, said means includin apair o slidin members one secured t'o tie -bumper bar an the othersecuredto the sup orting bar and means cooperativewith said slidingmembers for normally urging said bars apart. 4. In an automobile bumper"in combination, a bumper bar, a su porting member, said bar and saidmember being s aced apart, a connecting device com rising s iding parts,a Vclamp for securing t e connecting device to the supporting bar, aspring for urging said clamp to enga ing position, said sprinfr alsoservin to cus ion impact.

5.' In an automo ile bumper, in combina tion a resilient bumper bar, asupport' member, a resilient connection between sai supporting memberand said bar, a connecting device, a clamp for securing the con-Inecting device to the supporting bar, a

spring for urging said clamp to engagiiigv position, said spring alsoserving to cus impact.

6. In an automobile bum r, a bumper bar, a supporting member `t 'erefor,an attaching member for securing the supporting member on an automobi e,said attaching member comprising a pair of telescopic portions, a springfor normally urging said telescopic portions apart, and means forclamping the attaching member to the supportin member, said means beingy sai spring to hold said'parts in engagement.

7. In combination with an automobile, a bumper including a supporting'member, an attaching member engaging the supporting member for securingthe bumper on an aiutomobile, a pair of arm-s, said arms being supportedby the attaching member, means to urge said arms into en agement withthe supporting member, sai means com rising a coiled spring, a sleeve inwhich said support is mounted, said spring serving 'to cushion impactagainst said bumper.

8. In combination with an automobile bum r, a supporting member, anattaching mem r for securing the supporting member on an automobile, two.arms supported' by the attaching member and adapte to move together to/engagethe supporting member and means to urge said arms to ether,`saidarms each having an inclined faces and forcing them apart to cause theattaching member to engage the supporting member.

9. In combination with an automobile bumpeiya supporting member, anattaching actuated ace and a 'clamping member for engaging said inclined-iao f member for securing the supporting member to an automobile, twoarms supported by the attaching member and adapted to move together toengage the supporting member and means'to urge said arms together, saidarms each having an inclined face, a clamping member for engaging saidinclined faces and forcing them apart to cause the attaching member toengage the supporting member, a spring for acting; on said lastmentioned member, a pair of sleeves in which said sprin is contained,said sleeves being telescopica ly arranged and one .of said sleevesbeing secured to said clamp and the other of said sleeves being securedupon the automobile. l 10. In combination, a bumper bar and a supportingbar therefore, said bumper bar comprising a strip of resilient materialand spring also serving to reslliently support said bumper in position.

iron, means to 'yieldingy connect said bumper bar and said supportingbar in `spaced relation, means to attach said supporting bar to anautomobile, said means 1ncluding a cylinder adapted to be secured to anautomobile, a second cylinder slidable within the first cylinder, aspring within said second cylinder, a clamp engaging said angle' iron,and having a part thereof withinA said second cylinder, said clamp beingmounted for pivotal movement and means 'whereby said vspring urges saidclamp into engagement w1th said an ular bar, said I hereunto affix my/FRANK K. ROGERS.

In testimony whereof, signature,

